- Deportation flight carrying 12 Afghans, eight Iranians and nationals of Nepal and Nicaragua lands in Bangui
WASHINGTON: The United States on Saturday deported dozens of migrants to the Central African Republic, including an Afghan man whose brothers had supported and served alongside the US military, lawyers representing the deportees said.
The Afghan national, who is in his early 20s, had been granted protection by a US judge against deportation to Afghanistan because of concerns that he could face persecution by the Taliban, according to his lawyer, Alma David.
Court documents reviewed by The Associated Press stated that the man’s family in Afghanistan had received threats from the Taliban because of his brothers’ work in support of the US military.
David said one of the man’s brothers lives in the United States and previously served in the Afghan National Army, which worked alongside US forces before the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Another brother, a pilot trained by the United States, was killed by the Taliban, she said.
The deportation flight landed in the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui, on Saturday. According to Savi Arvey, director of policy, refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First, the flight carried 12 Afghans and eight Iranians, along with several nationals from Nepal and Nicaragua.
The deportations have drawn attention from immigration and human rights advocates, particularly over the circumstances of individuals who may face serious security or persecution risks if returned to their countries of origin.
The latest deportations come amid the US administration’s broader efforts to intensify immigration enforcement and remove individuals who are deemed ineligible to remain in the United States.
BY: The Times Union
